


Caroline at the Continental

by Phandancee74



Category: The Vampire Diaries (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Mob, Continental Hotel (John Wick), F/M, Minor Character Death, No vampires, Suicide, Werewolf!Klaus
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-25
Updated: 2020-09-25
Packaged: 2021-03-08 04:54:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,013
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26639896
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Phandancee74/pseuds/Phandancee74
Summary: A John Wick/Continental AU with Klaroline finding their way together over the years as they live their mafia lives. Klaus is an assassin and Caroline is the brains behind the operation.
Relationships: Caroline Forbes & Katherine Pierce, Caroline Forbes/Klaus Mikaelson, Hayley Marshall & Klaus Mikaelson, Josette "Jo" Laughlin/Alaric Saltzman
Comments: 2
Kudos: 21





	Caroline at the Continental

Caroline watched the events unfolding in front of her and knew what she had to do to protect those she cared for. As she watched Klaus approach Alaric and Kai, she could tell he wasn’t in the right frame of mind and that he was about to make a huge mistake. Caroline could fix this, all it would take was being a second faster than Klaus. She pulled a gun out from under the bar, took aim, and fired.  
___________________________________________________________________________

Mystic City was corrupt and crime ridden, ruled by several mob families, and this fact had always been well known. It was a supernatural hot spot, though that was less well known to the general public, with more witches and werewolves per capita than anywhere in the world, and all of them worked in the criminal underground. There were humans too, bloodthirsty ones who knew they had to work harder, smarter, and meaner to thrive in a world where some of their enemies had super strength or magical lojack. Caroline Forbes was someone who had always known what her family's connections were, that her dad was a mob boss and her mom was the corrupt chief of police who kept their business out of trouble. Her parents split when Caroline was a child but kept working together and profiting off of each other. Caroline had grown up understanding all of the darkest parts of the world, but she still managed to find light in the people around her. Caroline was groomed by her father to take over the Forbes family, publicly she was a trust fund party girl and privately she was a calculating crime lord to be, but she made a decision one day to change her path entirely.

Caroline began working at the Continental when she was nineteen after she betrayed her family and their new association with the Salvatores by tipping off the supernatural community to a plot against them. She fled to the Continental Hotel, a location infamous in the criminal underworld, because she had skills and she knew that as long as she could prove herself useful, they would allow her to stay, thereby protecting her with the most basic rules of the Continental itself. No business, i.e. MURDER, on Continental grounds.

Caroline had been in love once, with Klaus Mikaelson, the Hybrid. In their world people didn’t belong to two families, but Klaus Mikaelson was not the son of the human mob boss Mikael as he was raised believing, instead when he had his first kill at fifteen he activated his werewolf side and it was revealed that Esther had cheated on her husband with Ansel, the heir to a rival family who had once infiltrated the Mikaelsons to kill Mikael’s brother. 

When news got out, Mikael tried to kill Klaus, because he couldn’t allow himself to look weak in front of the rest of the criminal underground but Klaus’ siblings wouldn’t allow it to happen. Elijah killed Mikael before he could put the word out to their men and then he took over in his father’s place with Kol and Rebekah’s immediate support. Finn and Esther backed out of the family business at that point but none were sure where the two oldest Mikaelsons stood. Ansel, now the head of his family, came forward to claim Klaus as his son, but not his heir. He’d had an heir for years, one of his lieutenants, and he didn’t want to start any internal strife. Klaus appreciated that and vowed to work freelance so that neither family would have to work against him. He took jobs that avoided both their territories and spent time with his half siblings and his father’s pack at the Continental. That’s where he first met Caroline a few years later and helped save her life.  
____________________________________________________________________________

When Caroline was a little girl her father would bring her to the Continental to learn the business but sometimes she’d sneak away to talk to Silas, one of the oldest vendors in the Continental, and a master of disguise and deception. He taught her many tricks over the years and when Caroline earned her first coin she brought it to Silas to repay him for what he’d taught her. 

Her other teacher was Katherine Pierce, the abdicated head of the Gilbert family. Katherine had made more than her fair share of enemies while head of the family and had escaped to the Continental just in time, a literal mob of assassins standing outside as she threw herself through the front door, even one sent by her heir, Elena. At the Continental Katherine worked as an information broker, trading the knowledge from her extensive spy network for a fabulous life protected at the hotel. Katherine, who knew too much about the Salvatores, having been the lover of both brothers, told Caroline to get out of the mob life when her father joined forces with them and to come join her instead. Caroline didn’t quite make it away untouched when she started spreading the secrets of the Forbes/Salvatore alliance to the world, but she’d given Damon Salvatore a taste of her mind and her foot on her way out and the way he limped whenever he came to the Continental and how Katherine never failed to comment on it brought a smile to her face every time.

_The day Caroline came to the Continental to ply her trade, she had nothing. She’d hoped initially to have some currency to buy a few nights' stay before she had to prove her worth but her issues with Damon Salvatore, and her subsequent betrayal of two families had sped up her timeline. Her family connections were gone and if the Continental didn’t let her in she would be dead within the hour. There had been no time for her to create a fake identity her father didn’t know about and her private safe house was too far away to risk traveling to if she couldn’t conceal herself. Caroline steadied herself as she approached the front desk. The concierge, a man she’d known her entire life but knew little about, looked her over. She hadn’t burst through the elegant doors in a blaze of glory like her mentor, Katherine, but she knew the change from her usual perfect hair and attire along with the haunted look on her face showed a glimpse of her situation._

_“A room for the night, Ms. Forbes?” He asked, his manner polite and slightly charming as always. The man made you feel that he genuinely wanted you to stay and that having guests was the highlight of his life. Last year Caroline had taken on her first assassination job to earn a bit of prestige for the Forbes family and had stayed at the Continental alone for the first time. The Concierge had sent up hot cocoa for when she returned._

_“I have nothing to pay for my stay.” She admitted. “But I have skills, I want to set up as a vendor. Is the manager in?” Caroline had known Alaric Saltzman since she was a child and he had always been fond of her. He was the current head of the Continental, called the manager, and an old associate of her father’s._

_The Concierge let a little surprise color his face but his overall tone didn’t change when he responded. “The manager is always in, Ms. Forbes. You can head upstairs and I’ll let him know you’re on your way.”_

_Caroline gave him a smile, and he returned it with a reassuring nod and gestured her on. Caroline walked away, using every bit of the pageant girl and the mob boss’ daughter personas she had perfected over the years to not let her fear show as she went to the manager’s study. As she arrived she could tell he was already with someone, she heard a second voice, and chose to wait just inside the door where the manager could see her but his conversation partner could not. It would be best if a limited number of people knew where she was until she was settled._

_“This would be a personal favor, Klaus.” The manager went on. “It can’t be known I’m interfering in family business.”_

_“With all the help you’ve given me over the years, I don’t think I’m in the position to refuse.” Klaus replied. Caroline went still, the man Alaric was talking to was Klaus Mikaelson, an enemy of her fathers and the Salvatores. The Forbes family and the Salvatores were part of an anti-magic faction that wanted to push the werewolves out of Mystic City. If Klaus learned that Caroline was no longer protected by her family would he come after her?_

_Caroline couldn’t hear what was said next but she heard the sound of chairs moving and she looked around her to see if there was somewhere she could hide before Klaus walked in her direction. No, she was going to be an employee of the Continental by the end of the day, or dead, and if Klaus would be one of her clients, she couldn’t show fear now._

_“Ms. Forbes, come in.” Alaric called as Klaus began to approach Caroline’s location against the doorway._

_“Good evening, Mr. Mikaelson.” Caroline said as she passed him._

_“Ms. Forbes.” Klaus said, eyeing her up and down, taking in the general dishevelment and slight bruising. “What brings you to the Continental this evening?”_

_“A personal matter, I’m afraid.” Caroline replied. “But I’m sure we can talk about it later, if everything works out.”_

_Klaus laughed. “Perhaps I’ll be seeing your name on my list then tonight?”_

_“I wouldn’t be surprised.” She agreed, watching as this stranger laughed about the possibility of killing her. “But I don’t want to keep Alaric waiting, as I said, we can talk later.”_

_Klaus laughed again. “Of course, Ms. Forbes. Good luck with your meeting.” He stepped as if to go out into the hall and leave but Caroline noticed from the corner of her eye that he’d snuck into an alcove instead. Caroline rolled her yes, apparently Klaus was nosy. Well, if things worked out it didn’t matter that he knew first and if they didn’t, maybe he’d make it quick since he wouldn’t have to look far for his next paycheck. Caroline would walk down to the front steps of the hotel with him for her execution if it meant her father and Damon didn’t get the satisfaction._

_Caroline sat across from Alaric and he gestured for her to begin. “I’m sure you know that I have chosen to leave the Forbes family.” Caroline started. Chosen to leave the family, as if she’d woken up that morning with a death wish, really it was just a conscience._

_“Yes, I heard from Bill an hour ago about your stunt, sharing information with the supernatural families about his plans to poison the water supply with wolfsbane.” Alaric replied gravely. “I wasn’t surprised to hear you’d made your way here, but if you can’t pay for a room I’m afraid we can’t let you stay. The Continental does not provide free sanctuary, Caroline.”_

_“I never thought it did, Alaric.” Caroline answered him smoothly. She wasn’t going to let it show how annoyed she was that this man didn’t think she was aware of the rules. She may be young but every mob family had kids far younger than her working the streets. “I have skills and I would like to become a vendor here. I know that you allowed Katherine Pierce to make the same deal a decade ago, work for protection.”_

_“Katherine came with years of experience and a hundred gold coins. You come with neither.”_

_A hundred gold coins? Katherine had never told Caroline how much she would have to earn to live in the hotel, though her deal might have had a high price due to just how many people wanted her dead. That would be where Caroline started negotiating from anyway._

_“I’m not Katherine Pierce, I’m not coming to you with a list of enemies as long as the population of Mystic City. I need protection from two families. I can be profitable to you, give me a chance. I can make you . . .” Caroline mentally calculated the number of jobs her father ran through the Continental on a regular basis. “10 gold this month if you’ll let me stay.”_

_Alaric thought it over. Caroline was his goddaughter and his position often allowed him to take steps that would get any other member of their world killed. He could risk Bill’s temporary ire and give her a chance, the girl was clever and she had a big heart, things that didn’t always mix well in the Forbes family._

_“Klaus, stop lurking in the shadows and come back here.” He demanded, decision made._

_Klaus returned with a small smirk until he noticed that Caroline wasn’t surprised by the fact that he hadn’t left either. “I see you’ve got some basic skills.” He offered. “But what kind of vendor would you be? This Continental already has witches, a spymaster, Silas, what else could we need?”_

_“An event planner.” Caroline replied immediately. She’d talked this part of her plan through with Katherine and her mentor had agreed that Caroline’s logistical skills would be the most invaluable._

_Alaric frowned. “We don’t throw many parties at the Continental, Caroline.”_

_“Why would you?” She replied instantly. “But that’s not what I mean. I can design an event for any assassination with multiple opportunties for someone to take out their target. Give me a chance, Alaric.”_

_Alaric turned back to Klaus. “That favor I asked you for? It’s about to get one step more complicated. Caroline will assist you, and if she doesn’t get in your way, she can stay at Continental and try to prove her worth. 10 gold in the next month. If not, you’ll have two jobs to handle. Either way, you need to accomplish the task I’ve set for you.”_

_Klaus nodded. “I’ll get it done. Let’s go party planner, I have a job to do.”_  
__________________________________________________________________________

The job went well, a few murders and a frame job, and Klaus quickly grew to respect Caroline and her skills. At first he teased her about how detailed her notes were until he managed to kill one of his targets with a canape that Caroline had added to the menu, because she knew the target was allergic to shrimp and thanks to her nagging, Klaus knew it too. Klaus also knew it would be tough for her to earn 10 gold in her first month so he told both Elijah’s and Ansel’s people about her so that they would use her as a vendor. Caroline made 12 gold and earned her right to safety. Once Caroline had proved herself her father cancelled his contract against her, both out of his slight remaining love for his daughter and the knowledge that it was best not to go after someone under Alaric’s protection. The Salvatores kept their contract open for a while but Caroline managed to sneak out of the Continental safely from time to time and it was becoming embarrassing when none of their men took her down. Caroline even posted selfies with #MissedMeSteffie and #NextTimeDamon in their part of town, utilizing all the skills she had learned from Silas.

Caroline was good at planning events that could provide opportunities for an assassin to sneak in and take out their target. She had a number of contacts in the party planning world from her years as a socialite, and she managed to keep her name out of any event where an important guest happened to die. Sometimes clients provided her with the name of their target, sometimes just a guest list if they didn’t trust her to know their mission, and Caroline took care of the rest, creating an itinerary with highlighted options for getting someone alone or convenient mistakes and a dress code, starting with actual appearance and ending with what weapons to carry under the clothing. By the time she was in her early thirties Caroline was an established part of the hotel. Caroline still craved a bit of socializing, so she often worked the bar to set up first meetings with clients and gather intel.

After their first job together, it didn’t take long for Caroline to fall for Klaus, the man who helped her earn her security, but she knew it took him a while to fall for her completely, though he was always ready to flirt a little. When Caroline finally believed he was as invested as she was, she gave in and they had a whirlwind epic romance that was suddenly paused when Klaus got heat from one of his assignments and had to go underground for a month or two. When he returned to the hotel next he saw her talking to Tyler Lockwood, a member of one of the lesser families that worked under his father, Ansel. Katherine told Klaus that Tyler had noticed Klaus’ absence and was trying to take over some of his business and get his girl. She warned Klaus not to be gone too long again, and instead of convincing Klaus to stay, it made him realize that Caroline would wait for him, and he decided that she didn’t need that in her life. Assassins didn’t tend to live long and happy lives. He broke things off with her though they occasionally fell into bed over the years. Klaus convinced himself that it meant nothing to either of them, and that he only went to her for jobs and comfort because she was such a valuable partner.  
___________________________________________________________________________

One of Klaus’ long term jobs shortly after breaking things off with Caroline saw him infiltrating a pack near New Orleans, and he made a temporary alliance with Hayley Marshall that became a bit more permanent after it turned out she was pregnant with his child. A witch friend of Hayley’s contacted Klaus shortly after his return to Mystic City. Klaus would never deny a child was his after his own parental issues so he accepted Hayley’s words immediately that the child was his and he went back to New Orleans to bring the pregnant Haley to his father’s pack where she could be safe. Hayley became an ally to the pack, though never fully trusted by some due to her betrayal of her former alpha during Klaus’ mission. Ansel’s heir, Jackson, and Elijah Mikaelson, Klaus’ brother, both fell for Hayley during her stay though neither was willing to give up leadership of their people to be with her and Hayley didn’t want the mob life for her daughter. Instead, Hayley got out of the life, and with protection from two of the biggest players, not to mention Klaus Mikaelson himself, she was set. When their daughter, Hope, turned four, Hayley became ill and Klaus needed to find a way out so that he could be there for Hope. It took a very shady deal with Kai Parker to help him get out and the leverage that came with his father and brother’s positions. 

After three years of being out and taking care of Hope and Hayley, Hayley passed away. Klaus needed a few days alone and brought his daughter to stay with Ansel’s pack after the funeral. Klaus found himself wandering the streets looking at an old necklace that Hayley had worn and a couple of young idiots tried to buy it off him as he sat on a bench on the pier watching the sunset. Klaus refused, tucking the necklace away and heading home. That night he was attacked unexpectedly, and when he woke up Klaus found that Hope’s dog had been killed by the intruders and the jewelry that Hayley left for Hope was gone. If Hope hadn’t been with Ansel, and something had happened, Klaus would have torn the world apart. As it was he had to remind people not to mess with the Hybrid or his family. 

He quickly found out through tracking the pawned jewelry that it was one of Marcel’s men that attacked him in his home. Marcel was an old friend of Klaus’, someone that Klaus had found on the street and taken in at a time when both young men were desperate for friendship. Marcel called Klaus after Theirry showed him the necklace he’d stolen and asked Klaus if for the sake of their former partnership and brotherly relationship whether Klaus could let him handle the situation but the phone line was silent on the Hybrid’s side and Marcel knew his lieutenant didn’t have much time left. Marcel had just started making a name for himself, and he’d gotten some actual decent territory, so he couldn’t let Klaus take down his right hand man without a fight and he readied his men for the worst night of their lives. Meanwhile Klaus broke out a potion that would allow him to control his transition and he ran off, out into the night. In the morning the death count was near fifty and Klaus had to part with a bit of his hard earned gold to get himself patched up and have a cleaner take care of his mess. During his short stay at the Continental to get patched up he saw her again, Caroline. The woman he pushed away. Klaus knew that Caroline saw him too, because he knows she doesn’t miss anything. But he told himself he isn’t back in, he still has Hope to watch out for, so he didn’t go to her and she didn’t come to him. 

Of course getting out is hard but staying out is even harder. Once Klaus had reminded people of the Hybrid, his last big debt was called in. Kai Parker, he helped Klaus get out but he wouldn’t let him stay gone. Klaus tried to refuse, said he had only come back to remind people to leave him alone but Kai blew his house up as a warning, no one would take the side of someone who cheated their oaths. So Klaus went to Alaric for advice, who told him he had to fulfil his debt. Neither Klaus nor Alaric knew what the debt would be, but Alaric must have suspected, because even as he insisted Klaus fulfill his promise, he paled. The head of the Continental should have very few personal ties, but Alaric had one in almost every major family, none as close though as his ties with Jo Parker, his one time fiance and, unbeknownst to Klaus, mother of his twin daughters. Klaus knew he had been a fool to pledge a debt to Kai, but it had been the only way he saw at the time to get out for Hope and Hayley, even now he couldn’t regret it. He could only hope that the cost of his time with his family wasn’t the happiness and friendship of a man he held in the highest regard.

Klaus accepted Alaric’s advice and went to Kai to take the job. When he found out what Kai wanted, his twin sister and head of the Gemini Coven, brought to him, near death preferably so he could siphon her magic, Klaus cased the room for a way to kill the man. Kai taunted Klaus, reading his intentions clearly, delighted that the Hybrid was forced to kill for him. Kai gave Klaus a week and sent him away with a smirk. Klaus focused on the job at hand, he didn’t want to bring Caroline into this but it would be hard to get Jo alone, the Parker clan was very tight knit. A week wouldn’t be enough time without her help. 

Upon returning to the Continental from his meeting with Kai, Klaus asked for Caroline by her vendor name “Miss Mystic” and waited. Caroline came in and got right to business, her eyes filled with compassion but she knew Klaus was hyper focused right now, having spent years working with him on job after job, he didn’t need her pity now, just her mind. She arranged her plans for an upcoming medical fundraiser, a hospital downtown was getting a new wing thanks to the philanthropy of Josette Parker. Klaus only gave her the target family, but he suspected Caroline knew more than she should, she usually did. The looks she gave him as he tailored her plans to his said everything, about what she thought of him working for Kai, taking down one of the good heads of a family. Klaus knew how his actions would hurt his friend and mentor Alaric, but Alaric and Jo had already separated, years ago as far as he knew. Their respective roles getting in the way too much, just like for Hayley and her partners, just like for Klaus and Caroline. Still, if anyone went after Caroline, despite their years apart, Klaus’ flimsy retirement would be gone in a moment.

When they finished and Caroline had given Klaus the itinerary, a few maps, a menu, and a suggested dress code she simply said. “I’m sorry about Hayley, Klaus.”

“Thanks.” Klaus couldn’t start this conversation with her, ever. He didn’t want Caroline to know that Hayley had been his strength as much as he had been hers as she slowly grew weaker month by month. That Hayley had understood how hard it was for him to stay away from the business, even though he loved Hope and their life, that Hayley knew every detail of his history with Caroline and had bullied him several times about being an idiot and letting her go. He’d lost a friend when Hope lost her mother.

Caroline sized him up. “You’re still out, right? This is just one last job to clear a debt?”

“Yeah.” Klaus replied, forcing himself to repeat the same lie he’d been telling since Marcel’s idiot lieutenant gave him a chance to work out his pain on Mystic City. “That’s it.”

“Okay.” Caroline nodded sadly. “I’ve got a present for Hope, I left it with the Concierge. Rebekah can come get it for her next time she’s in town.”  
___________________________________________________________________________

The mission went well enough, though Klaus knew he would remember watching Jo take her own life to stay out of the hands of her brother forever. He’d let her, following her into a surgery theater and making no move to stop her as she grabbed a scalpel. Jo revealed to him the existence of her children as she bled out, asking that Klaus make sure Kai never got his hands on her beautiful girls. Klaus remembered the look that Caroline gave him, as if she was measuring him to see if he was the man she wanted him to be. She knew. It was done though, and there was nothing he or Jo could do about it.

“You should take Caroline with you when you leave this time, she’d be good for Hope. She’s great with my girls.”

Klaus would love nothing more, but he hasn’t talked with Caroline, not really, in almost a decade. He doesn’t know if she’d want to leave, doesn’t know if he can afford the cost of her protection too. He doesn’t know if he’s good enough for her now when he wasn’t then, maybe he would still feel the desire to get back in, even with her there. 

“Then she’s needed where she is.” Klaus told Jo as he held her hand. There wasn’t much time before someone found them and he needed to get out before he was swarmed by an entire coven.

Jo shook her head fondly. “You’re a fool, Klaus. Tell Alaric he was right, there never was enough time for us.” Klaus felt her slipping away as he carried her down to the parking garage as he and Caroline had planned. He raced across town to Kai, and Jo died in his arms just before Klaus laid her at her brother’s feet. Kai felt her heartbeat disappear and gave Klaus a small smile. 

“It looks like you were a little slow.” Kai shook his head, tutting at Klaus as if he were disappointed.

“Looks like it.” Klaus answered brusquely.

“Well, I’m sure it’s the thought that counts.” Kai laughed. “This is unfortunate, of course, but I was going to have to tie up loose ends anyway. Not like Jo was the only twin in town I could drain.” He signaled for several of his guards to shoot Klaus with wooden bullets soaked in wolfsbane. Klaus had been expecting the double cross though, and was ready for them, firing off a few shots at Kai, now that his debt was paid and he was free to kill any target he wanted, to force Kai’s team to cover their boss and he ducked away into the night. 

On his way from the fundraiser back to Mystic City Klaus was attacked by a dozen assassins including Jo’s younger siblings who had been trained to kill with magic, never his favorite adversary. Klaus injured both Liv and Luke but made sure they would survive, he didn’t start tonight with the intent to take down a family, but to protect his own. After taking a few hits from his more successful peers, Klaus realized he couldn’t get back into the Continental alone, there were people from each major family other than Ansel’s pack and the Mikaelsons roaming the streets looking for him. His own family can’t protect him because he had never officially taken a side and siding against the Parkers without just cause would start a war. 

Klaus considered his options. It had been years since he went to a safe house, longer since he checked his weapon’s stashes around town. He couldn’t ask his family to get caught up in this, so he was forced to find one of Katherine’s spies to bring him to her. 

Katherine was delighted to have Klaus at her mercy when she arrived underground via a secret tunnel attached to the Continental. Klaus was one of the reasons she had to go into hiding in the first place, he’d gotten far too close when he was a brash sixteen year old. She could turn him over to Kai, or the Salvatores, maybe even get back in as head of the Gilbert family. Still, having Klaus in your debt was clearly a good place to be and having Caroline at your back instead of your throat was even better. She offered Klaus a terrible deal, but one she knew he’d take and she got him as close to the hotel as she dared, sharing information on _one_ of her tunnels for the cost of seven million dollars.  
___________________________________________________________________________

When he’d managed to make his way into the building he found Kai sitting in the lounge, forcing Alaric to make small talk as he sipped wine and had a lobster dinner. Kai looked behind him at Klaus and waved gleefully. Klaus was done with this, he needed Kai out of the way to appease his guilt and to make good on his promise to Jo. He pulled his gun out despite Alaric’s pleas to follow the rules but he hadn’t lifted his arm to take aim when Kai fell over dead with a bullet through one eye. Klaus looked at Alaric who was looking at Kai and then back to Klaus with a very concerned and confused expression. 

“Sorry, he was a terrible tipper.” Caroline broke in. “And a bastard to boot.” 

“Caroline, why?” Alaric started. 

“He knew about the girls.” Caroline interrupted. “I couldn’t let him live.”

“I had it under control, love.” Klaus said, head spinning. In all his years working with her, Klaus had never seen Caroline use a weapon. He sat down as he tried to parse what had happened, giving a kick to the chair next to him holding Kai’s corpse.

“No you didn’t.” Caroline replied in a huff. “You were going to shoot that idiot and get a huge bounty on your head and never see that little girl of yours again. Don’t you dare let him take the fall for this, Alaric.”

“But I should let you take it instead?” Alaric’s face was in his hands. His worst nightmare had happened under his nose and gone unnoticed. If Caroline hadn’t done this, he couldn’t imagine what Kai would do to his daughters. Jo was gone, his secret life would have been revealed, and nothing would have kept him in his position.

“Liv and Luke aren’t going to be happy about Klaus taking out Jo but that doesn’t mean they don’t know why he did it. Even if they put a bounty on his head, it’s just one family. He hasn’t committed a crime in the Continental so he can still come and go as he pleases. He told me yesterday, he’s still out.” 

Caroline gave Klaus a look. “So get out.” She turned back to Alaric. “Excommunicate me if you need to, make it clear who did this. Give me an hour and I’ll disappear.” 

“No. I want you to come with me.” Klaus told her, grabbing her hand as she turned to leave. “Or, I want to go with you.” He amended, seeing she was hesitant.

“You’re out.” Caroline reminded him.

“So are you, now.”

“But I’m not safe. I need to go under deep cover, Klaus. You need to be with your daughter.”

“She needs time with the pack. I’ve kept her away too long.” Klaus answered. “There’s already talk of Jackson making her his heir and adopting her to make sure the line of succession is clear. He loved Hayley and he loves Hope too. Let me help you, love.”

“I’ll make sure nothing happens to her.” Alaric promised from the table, still sitting across from Kai’s body, feeling ill. “You two have done enough for me, and Klaus? Do what you need to do to get Caroline safe, it can be that favor I owe you.”

Caroline let Klaus lead her away. “Are you sure this is what you want? That _I’m_ what you want? I did this for Alaric but I also did it for you, I want you to have the life you need.” Caroline had bent over backwards to try and show Klaus her love, right up until he had showed up with Hayley. She never stopped loving him, or supporting him, she just stopped trying to convince him she was worth it.

“I left the life I needed three years ago for my daughter, but today I’m starting to take it back. I love you, Caroline. Someday we’ll be back here, I won’t let my daughter grow up without me, but I will find a way to live this life with you, because I won’t leave you again. All those years ago, I was wrong to decide for you that I wasn’t worth the wait. Please don’t decide for me that you aren’t worth protecting.”

“I can protect myself, I’ve done it since before I walked through the doors to the Continental twelve years ago to become Miss Mystic.” Caroline didn’t want Klaus to leave his daughter out of a misplaced sense of duty.

“You’re right.” Klaus agreed. “Still, let me come with you. I’ve walked away from you so many times but I can’t bear to watch you walk away from me.”

“Okay.” Caroline allowed, leading him towards her rooms to grab the emergency bags she always had on hand. Fleeing for her life once without her essentials had been enough. “But we need to be back for the twins' birthday in the spring, I’ve got the event planned already.”

“Of course you do, Sweetheart.” Klaus smiled. 

“And you can bring Hope.” Caroline told him as she grabbed the bag she’d packed that morning, filled with the three shirts Klaus had left behind years ago and his favorite style of bullet proof vest. She shoved the bag into his chest and told him with a smile. “I like to be prepared.”

**Author's Note:**

> I didn't know how much of the John Wick world to gloss over and how much to explain, if it was really unclear what was going on please let me know and I can throw in some notes or edit.


End file.
